Trump Threatens to Fire Advisers Over Undisclosed Work for Serbian-Dominated Region

President Trump announced he is investigating reports that two senior political advisers, Chris LaCivita and James Blair, provided consulting services to a pro-Russian nationalist government in Bosnia-Herzegovina's Republika Srpska region ahead of recent elections. Both men reportedly received hundreds of thousands of dollars for their work advising on voting matters. Trump stated he would immediately terminate them if a conflict of interest is found, though he defended their right to maintain outside clients separate from their roles in his political operation.

The two advisers in question held substantial positions within Trump's political machinery. LaCivita had managed the 2024 presidential campaign, while Blair served as political director and later as a White House deputy chief of staff, with significant responsibility for midterm election strategy. Their consulting arrangement with Republika Srpska's government occurred shortly before that region's recent elections, with compensation reportedly reaching hundreds of thousands of dollars for work focused on voting procedures and electoral matters.

The Republika Srpska region, governed by the nationalist SNSD party under Milorad Dodik, has maintained documented alignment with Russian interests. The Trump administration's October 2025 decision to lift U.S. sanctions on Dodik, his family, and associates provides additional context for questions about potential conflicts of interest in the advisers' dual roles.